Jun
10

Game 59: She’s having a baby!

By Joseph Pawlikowski

According to Carig, Chien-Ming Wang’s wife is due to give birth any time now, and that might mean the erstwhile ace* could bolt from Fenway prematurely. That could be good or bad news, of course. Wang doesn’t have the greatest track record against the Red Sox, and considering his 2009 woes he might might leave the game early anyway.

* We’ve used the term “erstwhile ace” a few times. I quite like it. Do you?

Tim Wakefield has pitched basically a season’s worth of innings against the Yankees in his career. In those 223.2 frames he has a 5.03 ERA. As we saw with Josh Beckett last night, though, that means very little. He can give the Sox a scoreless outing, as he did on September 28 last year. He can pitch a quality start, as he did on July 6 (6.1 IP, 3 ER). Or he can get totally freaking tagged, as he did on June 1, 2007 (I quite enjoyed being in the bleachers for that one). You never know what you’re going to get from Wakefield until the game starts.

In his career Chien-Ming Wang has tossed 84 innings against the Sox to a 4.82 ERA. Last year was a Jekyll and Hyde one for Wang against the Sox. On April 11 he tossed a complete game two-hitter, allowing just one run (the homer by J.D. Drew that Bobby Abreu might have been able to catch if the feared wall hadn’t impeded his leap). Then, five days later, the Sox tattooed him for eight runs in four innings. It was a mixed bag in 2007, too. Wang gave up four runs in six innings, three runs in 5.2 innings, zero runs in seven innings, and five runs in 5.2 innings. Given this and his performance this season, it’s understandable if Yankees fans are apprehensive about his appearance tonight.

Still, the Yanks had to get Chien-Ming Wang back into the rotation. It’s unfortunate that his second start back comes against the Red Sox. That’s baseball, though. You want your five best pitchers tossing the most innings, and when he’s right Wang is one of the Yanks’ best five. Ben and I have been vocal in our displeasure with how the Yanks handled his situation, but what’s done is done. They had/have to figure out of Wang is one of their five best, so getting him into the rotation was the only thing they could do. The good news: he’ll get a good test tonight. The bad news: failure means the Yanks could be out of first place and yet another game in the hole to the Sox.

Some pre-game note:

  • From PeteAbe: Bruney will throw a simulated game tomorrow. The Yanks will then determine the next step, which could mean a rehab assignment starting Saturday. The sooner he gets back, the better — but obviously not at the cost of losing him again.
  • Xavier Nady is headed to New York on Friday to workout. Sounds like he’ll also get into rehab games. Having him as a DH alternative to Matsui will be good. That would make for an inflexible bench, but said bench currently features Angel Berroa, so on the whole it’s a big, big net gain.
  • Melky Cabrera, Opening Day 2008 through May 5th: .291/.359/.505. Melky Cabrera, Opening Day 2009 through May 5th: .344/.408/.563. Melky Cabrera, May 6th, 2008, through June 9th: .250/.286/.277. Melky Cabrera, May 6th, 2009, through June 9th: .258/.298/.371. We can speculate forever on why this happens, but it’s not at all encouraging.

Lineup:

1. Derek Jeter, SS
2. Johnny Damon, LF
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Robinson Cano, 2B
6. Jorge Posada, C
7. Hideki Matsui, DH
8. Nick Swisher, RF
9. Melky Cabrera, CF

And on the mound, number forty, Chien-Ming Wang.

Posted on Wednesday, June 10th, 2009 at 6:45 pm in Game Threads.

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372 Comments

I turned my thesis in! I can actually watch baseball tonight!*

*I would say ‘enjoy’, normally, but I have low expectations for tonight.

Zach says:

Low expectations lead to a higher probability of joy

 
Drew says:

Quite the conundrum given your name. Wanger will show up.

 
 

We’ve used the term “erstwhile ace” a few times. I quite like it. Do you?

Not as much as “quondam artiste”. But, let’s not get sesquipedalian.

whozat says:

EGO utor is ineo

 

Awww shucks. . . . I’m blushing.

And don’t be so formal. Call me Steve, buddy.

I’d look up the term “quondam” before you start bathing in the platitudes, my friend.

“Formerly” or “Once was”.

I am the Artist(e) Formerly known as ‘The’ Steve, no?

Ooooh, that’s right. I forgot about the unabridged name. Well done. A tip of the cap to you, sir, from Mr. Snarky Irrelevant Non Sequitur Jones.

 
 
pat says:

it means homo pansy

/horse’d

 
 
 
 
bonestock94 says:

Quick, should I start Wang on my fantasy team? I have faith today.

Good Mo no. Wait until he string together three or four good starts.

bonestock94 says:

Yea, all logic agrees with your advice. I guess I’ll take it.

I need to witness a W today, for the first time in a while I can watch a game on tv. Not a shitty stream from espn taiwan.

 
 

Who are your other options, Tim Redding and Oliver Perez? If so, yes.

 
 

Melky Cabrera, Opening Day 2008 through May 5th: .291/.359/.505. Melky Cabrera, Opening Day 2009 through May 5th: .344/.408/.563. Melky Cabrera, May 6th, 2008, through June 9th: .250/.286/.277. Melky Cabrera, May 6th, 2009, through June 9th: .258/.298/.371. We can speculate forever on why this happens, but it’s not at all encouraging.

No need to speculate, I know the answer.

Cinco de Mayo hangover.

BOOOOOOOOOM, THAT JUST HAPPENED. IS YOUR MIND BLOWN?

Drew says:

Maybe his shoulder is still a little hurt. He was on fire up until then.

 
whozat says:

Slump started before the shoulder, no?

Besides, this isn’t the first time. I do think that he’s a streaky guy, which is ok as long as he doesn’t go into a tailspin like last year.

Drew says:

I don’t think so. I could be wrong but I thought he was on fire then he got hurt. Came back a few days later and hit 2 outs real hard. From there on it’s been kinda down hill. I’m still WAYYYYYY confident in Melk.

whozat says:

Nope. He missed five games from may 26 to June 1, so the slumping started before that.

Though he HAS hit much, much worse since he came back from the the injury.

Drew says:

Ah true. Yeah I was too lazy to check the dates. I still don’t think this is like last year. He will come around again.

 
 
 
 
 

Pero él no esta mexicano.

Shhhhh, don’t let silly facts get in the way of my xenophobic racism.

I’m not sure xenophobic racism is entirely appropriate today.

Damnit, Rebecca, this is America. I’ve got a god-given right to all the guns, red meat, and xenophobic racism I can carry/shove in my mouthhole/anonymously post on YouTube comment pages.

 
 

In any event, it’s ironically moot: Cinco de Mayo is a bigger holiday here in the US than in Mexico.

 
 
 
 
John says:

Let’s win this thing!

 
King of Fruitless Hypotheticals says:

How come you guys always leave one person in the lineup un-blued? The guy on your shitlist doesnt get a link?

:)

I’ll be dead in the cold, cold ground before I recognize Missourah.

 
 
LiveFromNewYork says:

Do we have an over/under on how many whiny 6 year old girls show up to announce that the world is coming to an end?

LiveFromNewYork says:

In the name of Douglas Adams, thank you.

I’ll take the under.

It’ll feel like 42… it’ll actually only be 6, but they’ll post with the volume and high-pitched whine that feels like 42 people.

LiveFromNewYork says:
 
King of Fruitless Hypotheticals says:

is Sal/Bo/Axl/Lanny one or four?

if they are/is one, then i’ll take the under.

Not Axl. Axl is his own man.

Sal/Bo/Lanny/GRANT. Those four are confirmed. The Many Faces of Eve.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Mike HC says:

We have to be able to hit this guy tonight. It is one thing to get shutout by Josh Beckett. It will be far more frustrating and annoying to watch these knuckleballs all night without crushing some of them.

John says:

I think Alex likes those so hopefully he’ll be a good mini-slump buster for him.

 
Mike HC says:

Thats one big hit from the best hitter in the AL. Is it too early for MVP talk??? probably

It’s not, but I think Joe Mauer probably is leading that race.

I’d vote for Youk, Mauer, and probably Eric Davis II before Tex.

If we started the season in May, sure, Tex is #1.

King of Fruitless Hypotheticals says:

The season starts in October…

 
 
 
 
 

I love that Teixeira and probably Swisher are doing this. Throwing conventional wisdom out the window and going with what feels right.

It’d be like another team sending righties up against Mo.

 
Brooklyn Ed says:

I like I like that our 3 & 4 hitters reached on base.

 

sUTTCLIFFE SAID tEX GOT HIS HIT ON A FASTBALL. tHE GUN SHOWED IT AT 75 mph.

 
WesternYankeeFan says:

How many more years will Wakefield pitch? His delivery is so carefree and flimsy, and it looks like he puts next to no pressure on his shoulder or arm.

He seems to have back problems every year.

WesternYankeeFan says:

If memory serves, he’s only spent significant time on the DL once in the last five years though. Is it too much to assume he’ll pitch in some capacity to age 47? 48?

 
 
pat says:

The reason many knuckleballers retire is because they cannot field the positon anymore so once he feels like he cant get the glove up to stop the bullets up the middle he’ll have to hang em up.

 

What’s Julio Franco’s record? That one.

 
 

Wang doesn’t figure to go long even if he’s good, and based on his prior experience in Boston and how bad he’s been this year, its tough to argue he’ll be good.

Once you get past the two starters, its a battle of the bullpens and we figure to lose that match up, especially being on the road in Fenway.

We need to clobber Wakefield to win tonight.

Meh, if our bullpen tonight is some combo of Hughes/Aceves/Coke/Mo, that’s every bit as good as whomever Boston gives us tonight.

 
 
Nady Nation says:

I don’t really understand batting Cano ahead of Posada at this point.

Check out Posada’s splits this season hitting 5th v 6th.

 
 
Jake H says:

Yanks look asleep at the plate.

 

“My Mohegan” the most homoerotic commercial ever.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that, of course.

 
 
Jose says:

This Tim Wakefield fellow will never have a chance at a long Major League career, he only throws around 68 mph.

JobaWockeeZ says:

He HAS a logn career and that’s his knuckleball…

pat says:

twas the gist of the joke…

JobaWockeeZ says:

Yikes I need to buy a sarcasm meter =/

JobaWockeeZ says:

Re-reading that comment…
I AM RETARDED.

 
 
 
John says:

I think he was being sarcastic

 
 
 
pat says:

Ahh wanger has a 90 pitch limit, he should be able to make it through 3.

 

Do people forget Wang’s one hitter against Boston on 11 April 2008?

I know this isn’t the same Wang as that, but it’s not as though he’s never pitched well against Boston before.

JobaWockeeZ says:

Apparently his 3 bad starts overshadows his career so a lot of people assumes he’ll give up a eleventy thousand runs in .1 innings.

 

“On April 11 he tossed a complete game two-hitter, allowing just one run”
I do, I do.

 
Jose says:

People will always think of his terrible performances. May 22, 2006; April 29, 2007; June 10, 2009. People will never think of Wang as ever being the Ace of the Yankees. He won 38 games in two years and people still complain about him. Unfortunate, but true.

 
 
John says:

Is it just me or does Robbie pop out to 3rd a lot

 
Drew says:

Hmm.. Double play please.

 
 
John says:

hmmm he’s not getting the low borderline calls…that’s 3 that have been balls already

John says:
 
 
Jefree says:

Wow. According to Gameday, three of those 4 balls were strikes.

 
Jake H says:

I’m loving Wang tonight. Going to be a long night.

 
 
E-ROC says:
 

Was that just a useful contribution by Suttcliffe? It can’t be! Can it?

Brooklyn Ed says:

He analyzed Wang’s mechanical differences between 08 and now.

 
 
 
Brooklyn Ed says:

hmm that looks like a hanger, good thing Bay didnt swung.

 

Quote of the night thus far:

Wang doesn’t need any more balls

@HTBP

And how the hell did that ball get through?

Zach says:

Groundball through the hole.
The question is how the hell did he score of that?

 
 
Drew says:

Unlucky plus JD throws like a 12 yr old girl.

 
pc69 says:

Somethings never change.

Zach says:

Was that about Wang or Damon?

pc69 says:

Defense, Wang, against the Red Sox, Damon; pretty much all around. But I am also in a shitty pissy mood with zero tolerance for a $200 million machine looking like a bunch of lost souls.

Zach says:

Yea lost souls with those 20 come from behind wins this season, no heart…no heart.

pc69 says:

Good come back. 0-7 against Boston. And what does that say about needing to have 20 comeback wins? What other lame stats do you want to bring up.

Zach says:

you’re right it was. you say we have 200m lost souls out there, and lost souls wouldnt continue to come back and beat teams and be what .5 game out of first place?

saying the team sucks because of 7 games against a team is a lame stat.

pc69 says:

so we equally suck at using lame stats. AND I did not say they WERE lost souls, I said I was not in teh MOOD to watch them PLAY like lost souls.

Temper your criticism until you have fully read what was stated.

(Comments wont nest below this level)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
John says:

if he’s not gonna get that low strike call, it might be a long day

 
mike jones says:

a-rod has to get to that ball

 
Bill R says:

Here we go again!

LiveFromNewYork says:
 
 
Lanny says:

How many automatic losses do we need with Wang starting before we end this misery and just make him the long man? 8? 10? a seasons worth?

JobaWockeeZ says:

1 run = unwinnable

Chris says:

Absolutely. It’s impossible to score more than 1 run against a pitcher that has a career ERA over 5 against the Yankees.

 
 
LiveFromNewYork says:
 
Joop says:
 
 
JobaWockeeZ says:

It’s 1 run and its already the end of the world. I love it.

Bill R says:

well when you score 0 runs 1 is HUGE!

JobaWockeeZ says:

Based on half an inning of us hitting. Wow and I thought I didn’t have patience…

 
 
 

…If you’re gonna walk David Ortiz, you probably shouldn’t e pitching in a big league game right now.

 
E-ROC says:

How is that breaking pitch not a strike?

John K. says:

This ump loves squeezing Wang. That’s how.

 
Marcus says:

According to Gameday, the Changeup (called a strike) and Slider (called a ball) were in the exact same location.

So to answer your question diplomatically: the ump is inconsistent.

 
 

Good grief, the guy’s hitting .190, throw it over the plate.

 

This is gonna be a long night.

 
manimal says:

How can I find out Cano’s stats when he is in the 5th spot in the line up. I couldnt find it on fan graphs or b-ref

Zach says:
 
V says:

Baseball-Reference, click the Splits, 2009, it should be there.

 
 
 
pc69 says:

So we have CC, Hughes, Chamberlain..where did the back end of the rotation go?

 
E-ROC says:

Terrific AB by Ortiz? Wang couldn’t find the plate.

 
JobaJr says:

And they took Hughes out of the rotation for this?!

 

It’s MARK FUCKING KOTSAY.

 
Jake H says:

Why is wang such a moron that he can’t throw a strike?

JobaWockeeZ says:

Oh come on. Seriously?

 
 
Bill R says:

Kotsay hits a Granny Smith here watch!

 
E-ROC says:

Is Hughes available, or will it be Aceves in long relief?

Charlie says:

It will and should be Hughes

 
 
Longo says:

aparently wang’s lack of control means he wants nothing to do with ortiz. He didn’t walk 3 in one inning or anything. Sutcliffe is an idiot

 
Charlie says:

Holy shit, Jorge Posada is doing an absolutely terrible job behind the plate. He’s not framing the pitches at all and he’s standing up on strikes.

 
manimal says:

It can’t still be his mechanics, could it?

 
JobaJr says:

3-0 count on a terrible hitter. Just plain awful.

 
yankeefan91 Arod fan says:

Wang Whats up with u this season :(

 
Reggie C. says:

Really…. Wang will record this out against Kotsay. And then pitch another 4 scoreless innings.

Drew says:

Thanks. At least someone has some friggin confidence. People pissing on Wang is almost worse than pissing on Melky and Al.

 
 
 
CocoabutteR says:

Oh Wang. Terrible.

 
JobaWockeeZ says:

Oh look only 1 run! I THOUGHT THE GAME WAS OVER GUYS111!!!!

Tom Zig says:

It depends on how Wakefield does.

 
 
Brooklyn Ed says:

oh shit, Wang escapes from more further damage.

 
JGS says:

that could have been a lot worse

 
Bill R says:
 

If they’re smart, they will not send him back out there.

Bill R says:
 
Charlie says:

You’ve gotta send him back out there. What are you going to do with him? Their only run was on a weak ground ball. If he finds the zone he’ll be fine

 
 
Zach says:

1 run people… 1 run

 
DCR says:

Please pull him from the rotation.

 
Jose says:

That inning wasn’t that bad considering he allowed a single and three walks, but kept the damage to one run.

 
Nady Nation says:

Alright. Honestly, I’ll take the little initial wildness over the leaving balls up in the zone. All things considered, I didn’t think he looked that bad.

They hit what, 3 GBs and a weak fly? If Wang can find the zone he should be fine.

Nady Nation says:

That’s what I’m saying. It’s gonna be a process to get him right. But you gotta like the groundballs and staying down in the zone.

 
 
 
Charlie says:

That coulda been a lot worse. Hopefully the wangster will settle down and throw some strikes

JobaWockeeZ says:

Okay if you’re not calling for Wang’s head then you know you’re overacting if you want him pulled from the rotation.
+1 Charlie.

 
 
DGeezy says:
 
Joey H. says:

Basically someone just needs to sit down with CMW and scream in his face as a confidence booster telling him to put the ball over the plate. His stuff looks good. He just looks incredibly mentally fragile. Go get them Wanger. Have faith in your stuff and you’re going to be fine.

Drew says:

he was trying to throw strikes.

Joey H. says:

Thanks Mr. Wang.

Drew says:

lol. okay. yell at him. good idea brah

Joey H. says:

It’s a great idea that would work wonders. I’d put money on it. He has the stuff, he has the sink, he needs the motivation and confidence.

 
 
 
 
Zach says:

screaming in his face a confidence booster? hope you never run the suicide hotline

Joey H. says:

Thanks for looking very far outside the box. Ever get so mad it motivated you to silence the critics? But no, you’d just rather try to be witty.

Zach says:

Right, maybe we should tell ARod to get mad and go up there to silence the critics, because we know pressing and trying to be perfect always leads to good things in baseball.

You honestly think Eiland, Giradi, Posada, Jeter or Mo getting in Wang’s face and screaming at him to throw strikes is going to help? Honestly do you?

Joey H. says:

Not yelling at him in the matter of he sucks but more or less a GO GET THEM YOU HAVE IT kind of yell. Football-esque. Not pressing just getting the guy to trust his stuff and not shy away from contact because walking batters will only make things worse against a patient lineup.

 
 
 
 
Jefree says:

Exactly. He’s throwing his 4 seamer at 95 mph. Just needs to stop shying away from contact.

 
 
Hova says:

Thank you God. All that and only one run. 29 pitches means he’ll be out by the 4th inning tops. Gonna be a good night to watch Mr. Hughes. Hopefully he brings the nasty with him.

 
Drew says:

Wang will pitch well.

 
Reggie C. says:

Wang gets another inning. If it turns out to be another 20 plus pitch inning , Joe G. should then pull him.

 
Smitt Dog says:

Dont get mad at me but I think that inning was necessary for Wang. He needs to regain trust in his stuff. To get out of that with 1 run scored puts him mentally back where he needs to be. I think just throwing strikes will do him a world of good mentally. His fastball is moving.

 
E-ROC says:

After all that BS, its ONLY 1-0.

Whoever asked about what contribution Sutcliffe added to the commentary, he said that Wang isn’t trusting his ankle, his shoulder is flying open, his leg kick is lower than last year, and Wang doesn’t stay with his back leg long enough when he is delivering the baseball. I think I got it right.

 
pc69 says:

So if you played baseball, have a drunk rant on the radio, you are now certified as a pitching coach? Sutcliffe needs to swallow the mic.

 
yankeefan91 Arod fan says:

seeeeeeeee yaaaaa

 
Andy In Sunny Daytona says:

Melvin got #5 today. 2IP 1H 2W 3Ks. 1.50 WHIP aint gonna cut it.

 
JobaJr says:
 
JobaWockeeZ says:

WHAT TIE GAME I THOGUHT IT WAS OVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
Bill R says:

Jorgie Juiced one!

 
Brooklyn Ed says:

see, Posada doesnt need to bat right handed. =)

 
Drew says:

Way to go YES. At least u got it to us b4 it went over the wall.

 
Smitt Dog says:

JORGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This guy really is something!

 
DGeezy says:

YESS!!!! JORGE!!!

 
manimal says:

Phil Hughes on his knees from second base could throw more strikes.

 
Reggie C. says:

that was a weak Kay-gasm…

manimal says:
 
 
manimal says:
 
Bill R says:
 
The Iron Horse says:

you have to be strong to send a knuckleball that far

 
DCR says:

Posada says get that shit out of here.

 
JobaJr says:

Alright Hideki! Here we go boys!

 
Brooklyn Ed says:

Matsui just broke his slump. awesome.

 

Hitdeki is BACK!! Prepare the front pages of the paper! Give him a curtain call!

 
Smitt Dog says:

The new Nick the Stick….

 
JobaJr says:
 
Bill R says:
 
Brooklyn Ed says:

Swisher is awesome.

 

Wow, Swish, that was awesome.

Except he was clearly out.

 
 
pat says:

HAHAHA SWISHER BUNTS THE HILARITY

 
manimal says:

Watching swisher run full speed is hilariously not funny.

 
Lanny says:

Managements panic cost Wang any chance of development and cost this team wins. Now his confidence is shot and he can’t throw strikes let alone having any arm strength developed. But hey I guess they got a built in excuse when he bombs every start.

They panicked and we are paying the price now. These starts where he had no command and was on an 80 pitch limit would have happened at Scranton. Another feather in Cashmans cap.

The Iron Horse says:

the hell are you talking about

 
pat says:

You and axl should move to vermont. You’d be so happy together.

Jose says:

I’m in. We can have a fraternity for only the true Yankee Fans.®

 
 
Zach says:

do you remember the situation that occured that led them to call Wang up?

 
Charlie says:

Alright, well, the yankees did panic originally when they brought up Wang too fast. It was a mistake. But that was a while ago. He would have been up by now anyway and he needs his innings. Let him work out of this and you shoulda complained about that 3 weeks ago, if at all.

 
 
JobaJr says:

I say bases clearing double into the triangle.

 
John says:

was that supposed to be bunt and he got lucky?

 
southernyankeefan says:

anybody think wang rebounds to salvage an acceptable start out of this?

 
Reggie C. says:

Swish ran way too inside the line. he’s gotta take a more direct line to first

Yeah. I thought they were going to call him out of the baseline. Then I thought they were just going to call him out.

 
 
Brooklyn Ed says:

c’mon Melky…

 
DCR says:

Lets break this game open guys.

 
JobaJr says:
 
Smitt Dog says:

Ya gotta be shitting me Swish.

 

Gave it right back Swish.

 
JobaWockeeZ says:

Swisher gives and Swisher taketh away.

 
southernyankeefan says:

swisher WTF HUYA.

 
gxpanos says:

SERIOUSLY, JOE?!

One: if this is some crazy, panic-inducing game, where a squeezed pitcher has no chance to work out of a spell of walk-itis in the FIRST INNING, Wang shouldnt have started the game in the first place. If Wang’s on a short leash–don’t start him in a game that you’re going to treat like an October game.

The stuff is there, he’s at 95, with sink! You HAVE to let him work through the first friggin’ inning so he has a CHANCE at 90 pitches. I swear this whole Wang situation went to hell when they called him up for no damn reason.

OH. HEY LOOK. The score’s tied and the Yanks have two men on. That Bay seeing-eye single in the 1st doesnt mean the game’s over! Great!

I wish the Yanks would stop treating Wang likes he’s Sidney Ponson or somebody. It’s unreal. Thank God he’s not out of the game.

Drew says:

oh. I didn’t know getting someone up in case it is a 7 run first inning was a bad thing. Thanks for the insight.

gxpanos says:

If it was CC, Pettitte, or Joba in that situation would they have had a man up? No. If they’re going to treat Wang with kid gloves, don’t start him in this game, wait for the Royals to come to the stadium. Frankly, I think it’s worth a 3-inning, seven run, 6 walk abomination if he gets to 90 pitches. You can’t waste his arm, and his stuff says he’s not done.

 
 
LiveFromNewYork says:
 
 
Drew says:

We can’t run the bases anymore. like 4 mistakes in 10 games. Unexcusable honestly.

 
yankeefan91 Arod fan says:

:( swisher bad play

 
E-ROC says:

Dammit Swisher!

 
pc69 says:

apparently if you work for ESPN 1 inch gap between the firstbaseman’s foot and the bag = out.

guess tie also goes to the runner also.

Sutcliffe needs to be punched in the face with a bat.

 
Jose says:

Agreed, if it weren’t for Cashman we would be a first place team.

 
manimal says:

Nick Green is NOT that good.

 
JobaWockeeZ says:

LOL at YES thinking inning was over.

 
pat says:

Such is Nick Swisher.

 

The producer thought that it was the third out. Wishful thinking Sully!

 
Charlie says:

i hate unlucky lineout DPs

JobaWockeeZ says:

More Siwsher’s fault than luck.

Charlie says:

yea, i know, but in general i hate unlucky lineout DPs

 
 
 
Bill R says:

obviously it woudl end this way

 
Mike HC says:

that was a big time missed opportunity

Tom Zig says:

Yeah we could have done more damage.

 
 
Nady Nation says:

Thanks for murdering that inning, Swish.

 
Zach says:

Who’s going to criticize Jeter?

Tom Zig says:

Well we did have a runner on 3rd.

Zach says:

Exactly, Jeter is .000 with RISP and 2 outs tonight.

Tom Zig says:

I wasn’t really criticizing, just an observation

 
 
 
 

Should have been a lot more that inning.

We got /Swished

 
 
pc69 says:

since the 18 game errorless streak, the general baseball skills, things you learn in little league have gone out the window. WTF!

 
John says:

damn boston always lucks out against us…this luck HAS to go our way (hopefully in the postseason ;) )

Drew says:

Not luck when you do it to your self.

John says:

okay but it was unlucky for us that Swish made that mistake

 
 
 
Bill R says:

can we make it 9 games in a row with an error?

 
pat says:

hahah nick green HATES the yankees.

 
southernyankeefan says:
 
DCR says:

Tough break there.

 
JobaWockeeZ says:

Okay Ken Singleton is reading RAB. I said that for Swisher’s play!
Anyways time to watch the complainers eventhough that hit was BS.

 
Hova says:

The Yankees must have treated Nick Greene like shit because everything is going his way against us. Ridiculously lucky.

 
cjc says:

nick green yankee killer wtf at least wang is throwing strikes this inning

 

AP: Sales of A-Rod book fade quickly

” NEW YORK—Remember that tell-all book about A-Rod?

Just a month after making headlines with its allegations that the New York Yankees star likely used steroids as far back as high school, Selena Roberts’ “A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez” has vanished from best seller lists.

Published in early May by HarperCollins with an announced first printing of 150,000, “A-Rod” has sold just 16,000 copies so far, according to Nielsen BookScan, which tracks about 75 percent of industry sales. The book sold 11,000 in its first week, then quickly faded.

At the Rizzoli Bookstore in midtown Manhattan, “A-Rod” has sold two copies. Twenty-seven copies have sold at Posman Books, based in Grand Central Terminal, but none in the past two weeks.”

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....id=4248828

Zach says:

16,000 total books? The publisher should ask for the bonus money back

 
Smitt Dog says:

Didn’t the Torre book fail too? Primarily bc thats when the ARod story broke too?

Ha Ha

 
 
southernyankeefan says:

wow the kid hits a homer off phranchise once im sure thats what made the redsox make that trade.

 
DCR says:

Its George Kottaras, Wang. Jesus christ.

Zach says:

pitches 2 and 3 were strikes

Charlie says:

they coulda gone either way

 
 
Smitt Dog says:

Whats with the camera Wang? Jesus Christ, its parking lot!

/Dangerfield’d

 
 
Bill R says:

Wang SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 
JobaWockeeZ says:

And he’ll, continue to suck unless he doesn’t pitch more

 
 
manimal says:

These games piss me off 10x more than getting 2-hit and losing 7-0.

 
John says:

Fuckin Kottaras!

 
Charlie says:

that was an awful pitch

 

I’m pretty sure Wil Nieves could have hit a double on that pitch.

cjc says:

thats a problem no and now swish plays baseball worse than my 18 month old nephew

 
 
John says:

The ump is definitely squeezing Wang low

 
DCR says:

What has to happen for Hughes to start warming up?

 
cjc says:

say what you want keep your head in the sand if thats how you are but boston owns us right now nick green, kottaras they find ways to win we find ways to get embarassed.

pat says:

I’m pretty sure we’re tied for first place with those winners for first place in the division. I could be wrong though.

pat says:
 
 
 
Reggie C. says:

Wang’s last inning as a starter. For the season.

 
pc69 says:

Ok so last night AJ couldn’t find the zone and was left in until it got to 5-0. Wang can’t find the zone and it is 2-1. When does he get pulled?

4-1
5-1
6-1
7-1

Keep in mind there are zero outs and each batter has had at least 2 balls.

 
yankeefan91 Arod fan says:
 
Slu says:

This is painful.

 
pat says:

Dudes I seriously think wang must have some sort of amnesia and just forgot how to pitch, this is crazy.

King of Fruitless Hypotheticals says:

Chuck Knoblauch thinks that’s crazy…

 
 
JobaJr says:
 
Drew says:

Catch the fuckin ball. Don’t get doubled off. Do your fuckin job.

 
Bill R says:

are you shitting me swisher! There’s that error i was asking for!

 
Smitt Dog says:

What the fuck was that? Thats a junior high play…

 
Jake H says:

Pretty bad. Wang has regressed so badly this year.

Slu says:

I feel sorry for him. He looks lost.

Zach says:

I dont criticize the strike zone, but I’ve seen about 7 balls that were strikes at the knees. If hes not going to get those calls he’s screwed and going to look lost cause he can succeed if he has to leave it above the knees

 
 
 
E-ROC says:
 
Ivan says:

Doesn’t help that Swisher fucked there.

 
Jake H says:

I’m really getting concerned with Girardi. No hughes warming up is the most moronic thing ever.

Charlie says:

Agreed, but i know for saying that Girardi has some flaws as a manager we might get bombarded by jobawockeez & those other guys.

 

Ok. Enough with this. It’s clear as day that they don’t want to use him in the middle of an inning.

Charlie says:

yea, my bad. For some reason it’s easy to forget that.

 
 
 
southernyankeefan says:

It is painful to watch Wang pitch. The handling of the wang situation was an EPIC FAIL on the yankees part. from the looks of it he should still be in ext spring training.

 
manimal says:

Aceves, Hughes, ANYBODY but Robertson. I love D-rob, but not in the 2nd inning.

kunaldo says:

maybe b/c its the middle of an inning?

 
 
Charlie says:

Oh boy, what exactly are the yankees supposed to do with Wang if he keeps giving up runs like this? This is a really sticky situation. Hughes could of course jump right back into the rotation, but what to do with wang?

pc69 says:

Ship him, Igawa, and Matsui back east and cut their losses.

 
 
Bleakley says:

Time for Hughes, Wang can find his way when it’s against someone else.

 

I’m so tired of trying to get this guy going.

Drew says:

lol. how bout we catch the ball?

 
 
yankeefan91 Arod fan says:

I dont noe what were gonna do wit Wang hes really lost it.

 
pc69 says:

Great AB????? Seriously????? Is Sutcliffe drunk or taking cues from Fatcessa or Gammons.?

 
Smitt Dog says:

Wang hasnt pitched well, but he doesnt deserve this.

 
cjc says:

its not taht we are getting owned by bston that hurts so much its that we look worse than a high school softball team doing it goddamn guys do your jobs

 

Suttcliffe is going to give me a vomit fit before the night is over!

Slu says:

I think I’d rather listen to Waldman. Which I have never said before.

 
 
E-ROC says:

Such a great team approach, this Red Sox team. Great AB by Drew. Sacrificing his stats to advance the runner. -Rick Sutcliffe

WesternYankeeFan says:

“That’s Boston Red Sox baseball.”

Thank you for that insight, Rick.

 
 
Drew says:

IMO I’d bench Swisher.

Charlie says:

in favor of who exactly?

Drew says:

In favor? Um. Not “in favor” of anyone. Move Melky to right and Gardy to Center. 2 mental lapses in the second inning, one on offense, one on defense. Is that not cause for concern?

Charlie says:

It is cause for concern, but Swish’s bat might outweigh some of those lapses. If you mean for a game or two, then i completely agree.

Drew says:

I mean like right now. Not even tomorrow necessarily.

 
 
 
Jose says:

Slade Heathcott. We can’t have Swisher be our 8th hitter with his .935 OPS and 2 errors in 46 games in the outfield.

Drew says:

RIght. so when players forget to play baseball, as in, catch the ball, run the bases. Just leave em out there with no repercussions. Way to go Swish.

 
 
 
 
Aaron Boone says:

there is NOOOOO reason not to have hughes warming up in the situation NOTTT robertson. What is Girardi thinking????

I’ll say it again: it is clear as day that they won’t bring in Hughes in the middle of an inning.

 
 
Reggie C. says:

i hope that’s the last time i ever hear “greek god of walks” …

 
 
giselle says:

remind me again why wang came back out?

 

Flaherty-”From this point forward, you have to watch to see if he’s losing his stuff”

God forbid. Might as well tee it up at that point.

 
JobaWockeeZ says:

And again it will take time for Wang to come back. Everyone really needs to chill about Wang. Like seriously. but right now he should be in the bullpen as a long man because didn’t make enough bullpen appearances to work out his sinker and get his strength back. But seriously let Wang walk?

Charlie says:

i didn’t see any comments suggesting we release Wang, but he does suck and we can’t keep losing games because of him

JobaWockeeZ says:

No I’ve seen comments that said that.
Granted he shouldn’t be starting yet. But all this patience towards Wang is ridiculous.

 
 
WesternYankeeFan says:

Those K’s were nice. Good job, Wang.

 
DCR says:

Wang has been awful in every appearance he has made. Its June 10th and we are in a pennant race. The Yankees can’t be punting games so Wang can ‘work through his problems’

 
Tom Zig says:

I know it will take time, everyone is just freaked out about the possibility of us going to 0-7 against the Sox. Wang has showed some signs of improvement but not as much as what everyone was hoping for.

JobaWockeeZ says:

Apparently people were expecting a shutout game because 1 run was enough for people to be calling for his head!

 
 
 
pat says:

Cervelli aint about to be played by no foul ball. He gave it the stink eye and it rolled away.

 
John says:

How many times have Wang’s low pitches that were borderline strikes been called balls? He is sinkerballer? If he’s not getting that call, it makes it tougher for him.

 

Hughes in the 5th? 4th?

 
V says:

Are there really 50 posts about how Wang looks lost, about how he looks like crap, etc.? You do realize that he’s a sinkerballer that lives in the bottom of the zone, and the bottom of the zone is not being called for strikes, right?

Two balls have been hit hard. He’s STILL pitching better than Burnett last night.

There are more posts about how Wang looks bad than about how Swisher let an easy out bounce in front of him. Ridiculous.

John says:

yea, I’ve said that like 4 times now but now one understands

 
JobaWockeeZ says:

Yeah and Burnett didn’t get this much hate because the patience of Wang is incredibly low.

 
gxpanos says:

Thank you.

Can we allow him to reach his pitch count and work out some things? It’s not his fault the Yanks recalled him for no damn reason.

 
DCR says:

Stop. Wang has been awful tonight and is lucky that this game isn’t 6-1. Swisher and Rodriguez both made bone head plays in the field but Wang hasn’t pitched good by any stretch of the imagination.

 
 
Slu says:

OK. Now hold them here.

 
Smitt Dog says:

Eat a dick Pukekilis!! Top it off with my dick cheese you cock-target wearing mother fucker.

 
cjc says:

well its obvious that its up to hughes to keep us in the game and avoid 0-7 this is ugly just ugly wtf do you do with wang now

pat says:

let him pitch the 3rd.

cjc says:

point stands with his count that will be about it and this team can not afford to what they did in april and have wang go out there and kill the pen every 5 days again wtf do they do with him now

pat says:

Let him sit on the bench until the yankee hitters record three outs. Then he will return to the pitcers mound and pitch the third inning.

 
 
 
 
Drew says:

Way to go defense. You fucking suck.

Drew says:

over-reaction= pissed.

 
 
V says:

Wang sucks. Youkilis and Bay totally pwned him. He sucks bad. He should be in AAA. He sucks. Waaaaaaah.

/Lohud.

JobaWockeeZ says:

/LoHud?
Man you don’t need to go to LoHud to find those comments unfortunately.

 
 
Nady Nation says:

I know the control hasn’t been there, but I’m sorry, there’s been ONE legitimate hit off Wang. I’m encouraged, and I hope he starts against the Nats.

 
The Fallen Phoenix says:

Wang strikes out Youkilis and Bay. Are we going to keep bitching about him? He gave up two hard-hit balls, but he’s also been getting some crappy breaks this game.

I hope he uses this as a springboard for three innings of no-run ball, and the Yankees keep teeing off on Wakefield.

Slu says:

That’s one thing everybody should agree upon.

 
 
Smitt Dog says:

Guys, calm down. Outside of the walks (which he seems to have gotten over) he’s literally outpitching Wakefield right now

 

Happy Birthday Kenny!

Best Yankee announcer.

 

Teixeira’s on to something.

 
JobaJr says:

At least Tex is hitting well.

 
pat says:
 
Ivan says:

Cut Wang some slack. He basically really has given up 2 runs (thanx Swisher) and got the sox best 2 hitters in the lineup just now. Right it’s just a slow process of him coming back. The stuff is there but right now his command is off but hopefully it gets better.

 
Reggie C. says:

Bay is NOT an athlete.